Lawsuit claims NJ firm interfered with protected leave, then terminated employee
Iselin, NJ – A New Jersey law firm is facing a civil lawsuit accusing it of violating the state’s Family Leave Act by allegedly retaliating against and terminating a paralegal who sought time off to care for a seriously ill family member. The complaint, filed in Middlesex County Superior Court, outlines claims of interference, retaliation, and wrongful termination tied to protected leave rights.
Dorota A. Ferraro, a Laurence Harbor resident, alleges Rainone Coughlin Minchello LLC employed her from March 2023 until her termination on or about September 18, 2024. According to the filing, Ferraro requested intermittent leave beginning in August 2024 to care for her mother-in-law, who suffered a stroke and required ongoing care.
Craig Coughlin, a Democrat and New Jersey Assembly leader, is a partner at the firm. Coughlin pushed for family medical leave right in New Jersey as a member of the legislature.
Coughlin’s FMLA bill was signed into law this January by former Governor Phil Murphy.
The lawsuit states Ferraro “required approximately one (1) to two (2) days off per week to care for her mother-in-law” and had provided notice to her employer in June or July 2024. It further alleges she “gave appropriate notice to Defendants of her need to be absent from work for an NJFLA-qualifying reason” and “thereby engaged in NJFLA-protected activity.”
Allegations of retaliation and termination
Ferraro claims that after raising the need for family leave, workplace conditions changed. The complaint alleges that prior to August 2024, she was permitted to work from home two days per week, but “after Plaintiff inquired about family leave, RCM told her she could no longer work from home at all.”
The filing further alleges that “Defendants thereby retaliated against Plaintiff for attempting to exercise her right to unpaid leave under the NJFLA,” and that her termination weeks later interfered with those rights. It states, “Defendants abruptly terminated Plaintiff’s employment,” and claims the action both interfered with and retaliated against her use of protected leave.
The complaint asserts Ferraro had no prior disciplinary record, stating she “never received any verbal or written warning” before being terminated.
Key Points
- Lawsuit alleges NJ Family Leave Act violations including retaliation and interference
- Plaintiff claims she was denied flexibility and fired after requesting leave
- Case seeks damages, reinstatement, and policy changes by employer
Claims seek damages and reinstatement
Filed by Costello & Silverman, LLC, the lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, along with attorneys’ fees and equitable relief. The complaint states, “Plaintiff has been forced to suffer both economic and emotional harm” as a result of the alleged actions.
Ferraro is also requesting reinstatement, back pay, and changes to the employer’s practices. The filing asks the court to declare that the conduct “violates New Jersey law” and to order the defendants to “cease and desist all conduct inconsistent with the claims made herein.”
The case includes a jury demand and names additional unidentified defendants listed as John Does. The matter remains pending in Middlesex County.
